The near £24m 21st birthday mega makeover of the Cheshire Oaks designer outlet village alongside the M53 has taken a further step forward.

Owners London based TH Real Estate, one of the largest property investment companies in the world, have appointed international construction company Mace to deliver the £23.8m expansion of the retail haven.

Mace will serve as main contractor for the project with operators McArthur Glen working in a development management role.

The expansion will create more than 25,000 sq ft of new space for the centre, including new retail units, a visitor centre, expanded car parking and a range of other amenities including a futuristic new play area and new public space. A new footbridge will also improve access for nearby residents.

McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks designer outlet village

Mace says the uplift will be delivered over the next 12 months, with completion targeted for December. It has worked with TH Real Estate on a number of other major projects including developments in London.

Adrian Yates, development manager at the property company, said: “The further development of the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet will provide a boost for the local area helping to enable sustainable economic growth.

“Specifically our further investment will deliver a very meaningful enhancement to the facilities and retail experience for customers. We are looking forward to working with Mace over the coming year to deliver this significant scheme.”

Neil Hennessey, regional director at Mace added: “We’re very proud to be appointed to deliver the extension of Cheshire Oaks.

“It’s a great win for the Leeds based regional team at Mace and we are looking forward to working with the local community to deliver tremendous benefits for the wider area as a whole.

“We are excited to be a part of this prestigious and complex scheme.”

With a quarter of a million square feet of retail space and eateries the outlet village remains the largest in Britain. Crowds throng the malls and for part of the year it remains open until 10pm.